Mir-Hossein Mousavi

By Shohreh Aghdashloo

Mir-Hossein Mousavi's presidential race last June brought hope to all generations of Iranians but especially to our youth. We all want democracy without more bloodshed. In his speech after the vote, Mousavi said the words we knew in our hearts to be true: "Change has already started, and there is no going back."

Thirty-one years ago, there was no going back for me. I was an artist, 26 years old, fleeing the revolution that created the Islamic Republic. Like millions of young people then  and now  I wanted our nation to experience the freedom and democracy that were promised.

For 31 years, the Islamic Republic had broken its promises to the people. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Like King, Mousavi, 68, and those in his Green movement understand that the revolution's broken promises must now be fulfilled and that their nonviolent protests for change must be Iran's true path: governments must be formed at the ballot box, not at bullet point.

As a result of his actions, Mousavi and the hundreds of thousands of members of the Green movement live in great danger. My fear for their safety is strong and justified, but my faith in the future liberation of Iran is much stronger. Daily I see that all generations are standing together in the name of truth and justice for all. I am forever grateful.

Aghdashloo was nominated for an Oscar for House of Sand and Fog and won an Emmy for House of Saddam